Earlier text: THE GOSPEL IN THE OLD TESTAMENTA GREAT DECEPTION.
By C. P. B.
WRITING of the doctrine of future probation, in the Methodist Recorder, Rev. C. H. Wetherbee says:— “There is a very mischievous deception abroad in the land, which was originated by the devil, that those people who neglect their salvation or will not obtain it in this world, will have an opportunity to secure it in the world to come. And there are quite a good many people who are trying hard to believe this devilish fable. They want to live just as they please all through their days on earth; and when they get into eternity they want the privilege of making a settlement with God on very easy terms. They seem to think that they will be willing then to make some arrangement by which they can avoid suffering for their sins. “If it were not for the idea of suffering eternally, or suffering to any great extent in the world to come, no one would ever think that God might possibly give people another chance of being saved after death. But, in order to ease their consciences and quiet their fears, they are willing to believe that God will be so very merciful as to give them an opportunity in the eternal world to escape from the consequences of their sins.” Yes, the doctrine of a future probation is a “mischievous deception,” a deception which will no doubt lure souls to eternal death, and as Mr. Wetherbee says, the doctrine of eternal torment is responsible for it. The Bible declares, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Eze. 18:4), and the nature of that death is fully indicated in Mal. 4:1: “Behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.” This is nothing less than utter extinction of life; a death which is eternal because unlike the first death; there is from it no resurrection. It is eternal or everlasting punishment because from it there is no release, no return. But men are not willing to take God at his word, and have sought to improve upon his work and designs; and so they declare that man is naturally immortal and can never die, that what we call death is not really so, but that it is only a change, a transition, and that man must live forever either in happiness or in misery. Mark the result: finding themselves incapable of believing in eternal torment, and holding to life for all, they naturally accept the idea of ultimate universal salvation. But God is not vindictive, and the Bible does not teach that he is. He is not willing that any should perish, and he will save all who will be saved; but “all the wicked will be destroyed.” Now is the accepted time; now God says, “Come unto me all the ends of the earth and be ye saved!” but by and by the decree will go forth, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still;” then mercy forever ceases to plead, and the door of mercy is forever closed. Truly the doctrine of future probation is “a great deception.” C. P. B. SUNDAY CLOSING IN WALES.
By C. P. B.
WE learn from the London Times of April 22 that the Carnarvon and Denbigh Herald recently formulated and sent out a series of questions relating to the practical working of the Sunday Closing Act in Wales, and obtained many answers from members of Parliament, mayors, magistrates, county councillors, chief constables, professional men, keepers of public houses, and others. These have given their testimony pro and con., and the evidence thus collected has been put together and published by the Sunday Closing Association. “Some,” says the Times, “have pronounced in favor of the act and of its proved results. Others declare no less strongly that the act has been something worse than a failure, and has done grave, positive harm. Not many of the authorities approve entirely of the act as it stands.” “The most grave charges against the act are the encouragement which it has given to the formation of clubs at which drink can be obtained at all hours, and the practice which it has brought about of purchasing liquor on Saturday for next day’s home consumption.” So that as a temperance measure it is well-nigh a failure. The Times says:— “It is not always easy, in a case of the kind, to strike a balance between good and evil, and to be sure which of them preponderates. With the Welsh Sunday Closing Act there is less room than usual for doubt. Its enemies and its friends unite in giving testimony against it, and in deploring the results which it either encourages or is powerless to prevent.” The more we study the question, the more firmly are we convinced that the only effective temperance means are in the direction of absolute prohibition of the traffic in alcoholic beverages. High license and Sunday-closing laws are worse than useless, as they both legalize the business of liquor selling at certain times and under certain conditions without at the same time reducing materially the consumption of liquors. C. P. B. TRUE CHRISTIAN LOVE.
By M. C. W.
How little of this precious grace is found among professed Christians of to-day, though how much we hear said about it! There is more outward friendliness, perhaps, among Christian sects, but many times this seeming friendliness springs not so much from real love and true union, as it does from want of real devotion and lack of strong conviction of the truthfulness of what men profess to believe. They find it much easier to agree by ignoring what they believe, or having no positive belief, than they do to follow the plain truth or their convictions of duty. The first will bring an agreeable union to the carnal heart, the latter course often separates very friends. But love counts not the cost. To know God’s will is to do it; to hear his voice is to believe it. While those who possess that love will be forbearing toward others, they will not compromise the truth of God to please others. “Love rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth.” He who has true love for the sinner has true love for God; for love for man springs from love to God. And that soul who will compromise right or truth, or slight God’s revealed will, in order to make peace with his fellow-men, has no true love toward them; for the compromise is to gain a selfish peace. He will break the patched-up union with his friends as quickly as he would compromise God’s truth, if inducements are sufficient. True Christian love is love first to God, and such love to man as will lead him from sin to righteousness, from evil to good. “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.” 1 John 5:2. M. C. W. Cast Thy Burden Upon the Lord
"Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee." Ps. 55:22. CHRISTIANS become sometimes disheartened, almost discouraged. The Lord seems to have forgotten them. He has forgiven past sins, but he gives no help in present trial. The sins of the heart rise up in rebellion against God’s will, and there is no power within the soul to put them down, and the Lord has left us to be destroyed of the enemy. So it seems to the sad, sin-buffeted heart. But it is not true. God has not forsaken. He “hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” And God has given us a pledge of his willingness to help in all the future, if we will trust in him. Says the apostle Paul, “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” Rom. 8:32. What greater pledge could be asked than this? So surely as God gave his Son, so surely will he grant all needed help to the seeker. Has he given the greater gift? he surely will the lesser. Take the promise home to thy heart, Christian; it will never fail thee, if thou wilt but meet the reasonable conditions which God asks of thee. Hold to it by faith; it is one of the “exceeding great and precious promises,”—a help to impart to us the “divine nature.” (Lesson 23, June 8, 1889.) 1. WHEN the Israelites came to Kadesh, in the Wilderness of Zin, what took place? "Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the Desert of Zin in the first month; and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there." Num. 20:1. 2. From what did the people suffer? "And there was no water for the congregation; and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron." Verse 2. 3. What did they do and say? "And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord?" Verse 3. 4. What did they charge Moses with doing? "And why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?" Verse 4. 5. What did they say of the place where they then were? "And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink." Verse 5. 6. Whom did they blame for bringing them out of Egypt? Verses 3-5. 7. Who had really brought them from Egypt? "And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." Ex. 20:1, 2. 8. Then to what was their murmuring equivalent?—To a denial that God had anything to do with their wonderful deliverance. 9. What does the psalmist say of them? "They forgot God their Saviour, which had done great things in Egypt; wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red Sea." Ps. 106:21, 22. 10. While the sin of the Israelites was exceeding great, is it an uncommon one? 11. What did Moses and Aaron do in this extremity? "And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces; and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them." Num. 20:6. 12. What directions did the Lord give them? "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock; so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink." Verses 7, 8. 13. When the people were gathered before the rock, what did Moses say? "And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?" Verse 10. 14. What does the psalmist say of this occurrence? "They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes; because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips." Ps. 106:32, 33. 15. How did it go ill with Moses? "And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them." Num. 20:12. 16. In what particular did Moses and Aaron trespass against the Lord? "Because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah-Kadesh, in the Wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel." Deut. 32:51. 17. When Moses allowed the Israelites by their rebellious words to provoke his spirit, what position toward God did he also assume? "Aaron shall be gathered unto his people; for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah." Num. 20:24. "For ye rebelled against my commandment in the Desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes; that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin." Num. 27:14. 18. Do we have any intimation that the Lord in any degree excused his sin because he labored under great provocation? 19. In this giving way to anger, of what grace did Moses show a lack? "Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil." 1 Cor. 13:4, 5. 20. What evidence have we that, although Moses was prohibited from entering the promised land, he repented of his sin and was fully forgiven? "So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor; but no man knoweth of his sepulcher unto this day." Deut. 34:5, 6. "Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee." Jude 9. "And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them; and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him." Matt. 17:1-3. 21. Then what must even the best of men say to the Lord? "If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? but there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared." Ps. 130:3, 4. WE are often prone to excuse some sin in ourselves, on the ground that it is the only time we ever committed it; or that we but seldom fall into it, and only under the greatest provocation. Many seem to think that if a person has great provocation he can commit a sin with impunity. But that reasoning would have made it right for the Saviour to yield to Satan's temptations in the wilderness; for no man ever suffered so fierce temptation. The truth is, there is no excuse for sin, and anger is not admissible under any circumstances. When the translators of our common version of the Bible wrote that charity "is not easily provoked," they were evidently moved by some consideration for the weakness of the flesh. They seem to have the idea that a man might have charity and still be provoked to anger, providing he was not very easily provoked. But they did great injustice to the truth, for the words as Paul wrote them are simply, "is not provoked." True charity does not get provoked under any circumstances. THE sin of Moses was a great one, even greater than that of the people; for he had all the light that they had, and more. It is true that the people were the cause of his fall, yet that did not in the least relieve him from responsibility. The real cause, after all, was in his own heart, otherwise nothing that the people could have done would have moved him. The Lord cannot tolerate sin, no matter in whom it appears; yet he is "the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin." Ex. 34:6, 7. That Moses repented, and was abundantly pardoned, is shown by the fact that after his death he was raised and taken to Heaven and was commissioned to come on a message of love to Christ. From this we are warranted in concluding that if it had not been for this one sin he would not only have been permitted to enter the land of Canaan, but would, like Elijah, have been translated without seeing death. Notes on the International Lesson.
By Mrs. E. G. White
JESUS BEFORE THE COUNCIL.
(June 2, Mark 14:55-65.)
IMMEDIATELY after Jesus was apprehended he was hurried before the Sanhedrim, and though there was some pretense of adhering to the forms of law the trial was informal and most unjust throughout. When the council was assembled in the judgment-hall, Caiaphas took his position as presiding officer. This man had ever regarded Jesus as his rival. The combined simplicity and eloquence of the Saviour had attracted large crowds to listen to his teachings, which contained wisdom such as they had never heard from the lips of priests or scribes. The anxiety of the people to hear Jesus, and their readiness to accept his doctrines, had roused the bitter jealousy of the high priest. THE priests and rulers had decided in counsel together that Jesus must be condemned, whether or not they could furnish evidence of his guilt. It was necessary to bring charges against him which would be regarded as criminal by the Roman power or they could legally effect nothing against him. His accusers could find plenty who would testify that he had denounced the priests and scribes; that he had called them hypocrites and murderers; but this would weigh nothing with the Romans, who were themselves disgusted with the pretension of the Pharisees. Such testimony would also weigh nothing with the Sadducees; for in their sharp contentions with the Pharisees, they had used to them language of the same import. His accusers were anxious to avoid raising the opposition of the Sadducees against the Pharisees; for if the two parties fell to contending among themselves, Jesus would be likely to escape from their hands. THEY could secure abundant evidence that Jesus had disregarded their traditions, and spoken irreverently of many of their ordinances; but such evidence was of no value, as it would have no weight with either the Romans or Sadducees. They dared not accuse him of Sabbath-breaking for fear an examination would reveal what had been the character of his work upon that day. In that event his miracles wrought to heal the afflicted would be brought to light, and defeat the very object they wished to gain. CHRIST had said, concerning the temple of his body, that he could destroy it, and raise it again in three days. These words were understood by his hearers to refer to the Jewish temple. Of all that Jesus had said, the priests could find nothing which they could use against him save this. The Romans had engaged in rebuilding and embellishing the temple. They took great pride in it as a work of science and art; and the priests counted upon their indignation when it was proven that Jesus, a humble man, had declared himself able to314 build it in three days if it should be destroyed. On this ground, Romans and Jews, Pharisees and Sadducees, could meet; for all held the temple in great veneration. IN addition to this they had bribed false witnesses to testify that Jesus was guilty of inciting rebellion and seeking to establish a separate government. This they hoped would farther excite the apprehensions of the Romans and accomplish the desired object. But when these witnesses were called, their testimony was so vague and contradictory that it was worthless. Upon cross-questioning, they were led to falsify their own statements. It was becoming apparent to the people that the charges against Jesus could not be maintained. The life of the Saviour had been so faultless, and his doctrine so pure, that envy and malice could find little in either capable of being misrepresented. Two witnesses were at last found whose evidence was not so contradictory as the others had been. One of them, a corrupt man who had sold his honor for a sum of money, spoke of Christ as on a level with himself. Said he, "This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days." In the figurative language of prophecy, Jesus had thus foretold his own death and resurrection, his conflict and victory; but his enemies had misconstrued his words to suit their own purposes. The words of Jesus were truth and verity; the evidence was false and malicious. If the words of Jesus had been reported exactly as he uttered them, there would have been nothing offensive in them. If he had been a mere man, as they assumed him to be, his declaration would only have indicated an unreasonable, boastful spirit, but could not have been construed into blasphemy. CAIAPHAS urged Jesus to answer to the charge made against him; but the Saviour, knowing that his sentence was already determined, answered him nothing. The evidence gained from the last two witnesses proved nothing against him worthy of death; and Jesus himself remained calm and silent. The priests and rulers began to fear that they would fail to gain their object after all. They were disappointed and perplexed that they had failed to gain anything from the false witnesses upon which to condemn their prisoner. Their only hope now was to make Jesus speak out and say something which would condemn him before the people. THE silence of Christ upon this occasion had already been described by Isaiah in prophetic vision: "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth." THE high priest now raised his right hand toward heaven in a most imposing manner, and with a solemn voice addressed Jesus: "I adjure thee by the living God that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God." Thus appealed to by the highest acknowledged authority in the nation, and in the name of the Most High, Jesus, to show proper respect for the law, answered, "Thou hast said." Every ear was bent to listen, and every eye was fixed upon his face, as with calm voice and dignified manner, he made this reply. A heavenly light seemed to illuminate his pale countenance as he added, "Nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." For a moment the divinity of Christ flashed through his guise of humanity; and the high priest quailed before the penetrating eyes of the Saviour. That look seemed to read his hidden thoughts, and burn into his heart; and never in after life did he forget that searching glance of the persecuted Son of God. This voluntary confession of Jesus, claiming his Sonship with God, was made in the most public manner, and under the most solemn oath. In it he presented to the minds of those present a reversal of the scene then being enacted before them, when he, the Lord of life and glory, would be seated at the right hand of God, the supreme Judge of Heaven and earth, from whose decision there could be no appeal. He brought before them a view of that day, when, instead of being surrounded and abused by a riotous mob, headed by the priests and judges of the land, he would come in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory, escorted by legions of angels, to pronounce the sentence of his enemies. JESUS knew what would be the result of this announcement; that it would secure his condemnation. The object of the designing priests was now gained. Jesus had declared himself to be the Christ. The high priest, in order to give those present the impression that he was jealous for the insulted majesty of Heaven, rent his garments, and, lifting his hands toward heaven as if in holy horror, said, in a voice calculated to rouse the excited people to violence, "He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye?" The answer of the judges was, "He is guilty of death." WHEN the condemnation of Jesus was pronounced by the judges, a Satanic fury took possession of the people. The roar of voices was like that of wild beasts. They made a rush toward Jesus, crying, He is guilty, put him to death! and had it not been for the Roman soldiers, Jesus would not have lived to be hanged upon the cross of Calvary. He would have been torn in pieces before his judges, had not Roman authority interfered, and by force of arms withheld the violence of the mob. MOST dissolute men engaged in this infamous abuse of the Saviour. An old garment was thrown over his head, and his jeering persecutors struck him in the face, crying, "Prophecy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?" Upon the garment being removed, one poor wretch spat in his face. But the Saviour directed no word or look of retaliation against the deluded souls around him, who had cast off all restraint because they perceived that the priests and rulers sanctioned their acts. IN all this was the word of the Lord by the prophet fulfilled: "And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard." Isa. 5:3. The Missionary.
By G. B. Starr
I SEE that no report of our good Chicago meeting has yet appeared in the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, and although it is late, we feel that it ought still to be reported to your readers. The meeting was held March 28 to April 8, and was the first ever held in our new Central Bible School building, 26 and 28 College Place. There was a good attendance from Illinois and a few came from other States, some coming as far as from Tennessee. Our chapel proved too small for even this first meeting and convinced all that at least we had not built too large. Most of the labor of the meeting was carried by Elder A. T. Jones and Sister E. G. White, who labored hard to set clearly before us the subjects of "Justification by Faith," "The Righteousness of Christ," and "Civil Government and Religion," and our present position in prophecy in this country. The interest seemed good from the first, but long-cherished unbelief seemed loath to give up to the light and liberty of faith, and darkness for a time seemed to settle over many minds. But the Spirit of God did not leave us, and the light gradually broke in, and some most precious seasons followed. We have never had such meetings before. Many were newly converted to God, and all were benefited greatly. God has certainly sent us increased light, and we feel to praise him for it and to diligently walk in it. The instruction to church officers, canvassers, and reporters was all very valuable. The Daily Inter-Ocean opened its columns to from three-quarters to a column and a quarter of space daily to the reports of Elder Jones's lectures on "Civil Government and Religion." Our building, a four-story brick, 45x60 feet, containing 38 rooms, elevator, steam heat, range, etc., and the desirable building site of seventy feet of valuable ground, is all paid for by money donated or loaned by our own brethren, amounting in all to $28,000, and not one cent of claim is in the hands of any others. For this we feel very grateful. When our meeting opened, our Mission Expense Fund was in debt about $500. This had accumulated during the first three years of the existence of the city work, the donations and board of the past two years having just met the running expense. A cash donation was very cheerfully made at the meeting, amounting to over $600, which entirely cleared off the indebtedness of the past, and the extra expense of the meeting. This has set our school squarely upon its feet, free from debt, and with the best of prospects before it. We think we know that the good hand of God has helped us, and we never felt of better courage to go forward in his work; and what is said of the Chicago work may be said to be equally true of other branches of the work in the State. The finances of both the Conference and Tract Society are most encouraging. The canvassing work is also not one of the least of the hopeful features. Several changes315 have been made in the officers both of the Conference and Tract Society, bringing in more and stronger help, which we believe will prove to be steps in the right direction. Trusting God’s Willingness to Forgive
GOD has told us that "like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him," and yet how many are afraid to trust him! They know that he "so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life," and yet they will not believe that he is ready and willing to forgive their sins. They forget the words of the apostle: "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" Rom. 8:32. Mark it; the apostle does not say, "How shall he?" but, "How shall he not?" Having given his Son in order that he might forgive, will he not do it? We know that he will. J. W. SCOLES
By J. W. Scoles
THE LAND OF THE CZARS. NO. 2.
OWING to the peculiar condition of affairs in Russia, nearly every individual within the domain is looked upon with suspicion. His social relations, his religion, his political opinions, his home life, in fact, almost everything he does or says, is subject to examination and criticism according to the most arbitrary requirements of law. This is only the natural result of the practical workings of Church and State when united, and although in this instance shameful abuses are not only allowed but are actually produced under such a system, these extremes are possible in all countries in which the civil power is dominated by the religious element. In Russia, a man may be what we would call an honest, upright citizen, and yet because of some religious idea contrary to the established faith he is at once condemned and exiled to Siberia. The same is true also of political offenders. Things which in this country would be considered only the expression of honest opinion, are there seized upon with eagerness as political treason, and the luckless offender, whose chief crime has been that he dared to express aloud the thoughts of his heart, is immediately banished across the Russian frontier. And thus it comes that criminals, conspirators, Christians, and others, in a medley lot, are forced to bid good-bye forever to home, friends, and former associations, and take up the weary line of march as exiles to a far-off land. People have been led to look upon Siberia as a desolate prison, and in one sense of the word such an idea is not far from correct. Forbidden under pain of death to ever return to Western Russia, and in many instances kept under continual police surveillance by guards appointed for that purpose, a large share of the exiles are virtually prisoners in the full sense of the word. But it must not be supposed that because they are prisoners they are necessarily vile, for this is by no means the case. While numbers of them are actually criminals, and are really depraved, there are many others among them who belong to the cultivated and better classes, but who, for reasons already given, have been virtually banished from the empire, for, although Siberia is a part of the Russian Empire, and its inhabitants are under Russian government, it is so distinct and separate as to be considered as an altogether different country, and it is in this light that we shall treat it in these articles except when referring to its connection with Russia proper in a general way. We naturally look in a gloomy light upon any country set apart for exile and prison purposes, and perhaps this is one reason which has given to so many the idea that Siberia is but little better than an Arctic waste. We have also been accustomed to consider that because so little attention was given to the country in geographies and atlases it must form only a small part of the earth's surface, similar to the ideas which were held until recently in regard to Alaska. It has only been within a very short time past that people in general have awakened to the fact that Siberia is a vast division of the world, with various diversities of climate and vegetation. Roughly speaking, it embraces territory 5,000 miles long by 2,500 miles broad, and its area is almost twice that of the United States. Its climate includes nearly all the variations of temperature found from the Arctic zone to torrid regions. It can readily be seen that such a vast scope of country, with these conditions just named, cannot be altogether a barren and fruitless region. This fact has been abundantly demonstrated by the completion, within the past year or two, of the railway across the Ural Mountains, over into Siberia proper, since which time thousands of tons of Siberian productions are annually sent to Russian markets. It is a fact, however, that large portions of the country are entirely uninhabitable, owing, in some instances, to the natural unproductiveness of the soil; in others, to the terrible extremes of heat and cold experienced. In some places there is a difference of as much as 120 degrees between the average temperature of January and that of July. The winters in general are severe throughout the greater part of Siberia, but fortunately they are of short duration in many localities. This doubtless accounts for the immense forests that cover some parts of the country, as well as explaining the great profusion and variety of flowers with which the earth is carpeted there. Mr. Kenman says he has never, even in California, beheld such incredible floral displays as he saw in Siberia. He speaks of the wild-cherry blossoms being so profuse as to resemble white clouds, while in some places the steppes as far as the eye could reach were a perfect ocean of forget-me-nots, so numerous that the ground was entirely hidden by them. It is not, however, to such bowers of beauty as these that the exiles are sent. No, no; many hundreds of weary miles their tired and manacled limbs must yet trudge, through summer's heat and winter's snow, until far off to the east and north, away across the plains, they find in the forced labor of the colonies and mines, or the gloomy solitudes of impenetrable prisons, their life-long round of work and toil, hardships and privations, which they feel are never to cease until, worn out by fatigue and weakened by disease, the poor, tired body refuses to longer endure the strain put upon it, and drops into the welcome grave, where the weary sufferer at last can rest. SANTA BARBARA, CAL.
By E. A. Briggs
I HAVE been holding meetings for several weeks in this place, and striving to encourage and build up our brethren here. Eight new converts have also signed the covenant since my arrival, including one family who live at a distance. One Italian and his family attended the services regularly, though they understood very little of the preaching. However, in conversation I made them understand what I had preached, every point of which they received with perfect confidence. The cause of their confidence was this: they knew that the Catholics were not godly, and that they had cruelly persecuted some Piedmontese (Waldenses) who were godly, obeyed the Bible, and kept Saturday as their day of rest and worship. When they saw that we kept the seventh-day Sabbath, they concluded that we belonged to the same godly people. My post-office address hereafter will be Garden Grove, Los Angeles County, Cal., as I now go to that place to engage in tent work. Industry Makes All Things Easy
SLOTH makes all things difficult, but industry all easy, and he that riseth late must trot all day. THE CHURCH'S GREAT FOE.
By Dr. A. T. Pierson
THE greatest foe the church has to fight is spelled with five letters: C-a-s-t-e. In India the system of caste is so rigid that, no matter what a man's qualifications are, he cannot rise above the circle in which he is born. In England the caste is not so strongly marked. Anyone there may rise to be a member of Parliament even. He may be favored to lift himself from the trough of the sea to glitter for a moment on the crest of the waves. The church has not got the caste of India, but she is getting to have the more contemptible aristocracy of mere money. The rich and poor, indeed, meet together, but it does not seem as if the Lord were the Maker of them all. People belong together in the same congregation, but one does not know the other, and indeed does not care to know. I remember a woman who came into a mission one evening with four little children, and while there became converted. Then she went home to her drunken husband. What church could that poor woman go to? If a poor man looks into some of our rich churches, with a magnificent ten-thousand-dollar minister in the pulpit, and a five-thousand-dollar choir in the gallery, it is enough. He knows it is no place for him. Is the pride of the poor wholly ignoble? Is it strange that the manhood of man protests against such caste in the churches? There are splendid Pullman palace cars, but the common people are not expected to ride to Heaven in them. The Earl of Shaftesbury was once offered an official position in the church of which he was a member, but he refused to accept it, lest it should hurt his influence with the workingmen. It is said of that noble Christian that he once met a convict who had been a great trouble to his friends, even after his term of imprisonment had expired; but after that meeting there was a great change in the man. He supported his family, and soon came to be admired by all his friends. When asked the cause of this change he said, "The Earl of Shaftesbury is responsible for that." "Why, what did he say to you," someone asked. "Ah!" he answered, "he laid his hand upon my arm and said, 'Jack, we shall make a man of you yet!' It was not so much what he said as the touch of his hand that helped me." My friends, we cannot go out and work for the poor and destitute unless we love them. The caste spirit makes love for souls impossible. Love is a great leveler.—Dr. A. T. Pierson. A DIALOGUE ABOUT AFRICAN MONEY.
Teacher—Did you ever see African money? Scholar—I don't think I have, but I suppose it is very much like ours. T.—It is nothing like ours, nor like the money of any other country. Indeed, it cannot be called money, properly, for the people of Africa have neither coins nor bank-bills.318 T.—Sometimes they use beads, ivory, and cotton cloth, and in some sections, especially along the Congo, brass rods. S.—Brass rods! That is the strangest of all. How much are they worth? T.—About twelve cents and a half by the time they get to Africa, and it takes five of them to make a pound. T.—About twenty-six inches long. When Mr. Stanley was in Africa he used these rods, and at one time had four tons of them in his store-house on the Congo River. S.—They must be very inconvenient to carry around. T.—They do not carry them around as we do our money, but keep them stored away, and only bring them out when they want to trade. T.—Whatever they want. There are some things they never buy, because they do not wear them, such as boots, caps, trousers, and coats. Their only covering is a piece of cotton cloth wound around the loins of the grown people, while the children often are without even that. You see they don't spend money on dress, nor waste time in fixing up. One of the evil uses they make of these rods is to barter with them for human beings. S.—Do they buy and sell slaves in Africa? T.—A great many grown people, as well as children, are bought and sold even in those regions where white people are. They will give from two to three hundred brass rods for a good, bright boy. S.—Are they sold away from their parents? T.—Yes, they are bought by strangers, who sometimes take them far away from home, and who care nothing for them beyond the labor they get from them. One poor little slave boy came to a missionary and begged him to buy him from his master, for he knew he would be taught and well treated by the missionary. When the missionary had taken him, and he was dressed as English boys are, he put his arms around him, called him his father, and said that he would always live with him. S.—Are they doing nothing to stop this wicked thing? T.—Yes, missionaries are there laboring among these people, and we hope after awhile there will be no more people sold in Africa.—Gospel in All Lands.